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FAQ for Hydrogen Boost
The Hydrogen-Boost system operates especially well in cold weather. The fuel heater and chosen vaporizing systems improve on winter mileage considerably. The 0w30 Amsoil reduces the drag caused by more viscous oils and the XCEL Plus engine treatment causes less drag year round. The driving tips are especially applicable to cold weather, and the recommended tire pressure is especially important in keeping your tires safe from damage caused by under inflation. The electronic control circuit works the same in cold weather as it does in hot weather.
But I am sure you are especially asking about the hydrogen generator, which uses water, which usually turns to ice in cold weather. Well, we have that solved too. Our electrolyte doesn't freeze.
For cold climates we suggest a coil of soft copper pipe wrapped around our hydrogen generator through which is circulated engine coolant from the heater hose circuit. So the hydrogen generator is heated. It takes about five minutes to warm up to optimum operating temperature.
A. Water in the Exhaust
Hydrogen Boost Newsletter
Two days in a
row now I have had questions emailed to me about water in the exhaust caused by
the Hydrogen-Boost system so it is time for me to address the question in the
form of a report that I can cut and paste when asked again. So here we go.
Octane, a typical gasoline molecule has a chemical formula of C8H18. When
combusted in an internal combustion engine the chemical equation is:
C8H18 + 12.5 O2 = 8CO2 + 9H20
As you can see over half of the exhaust gases formed are water molecules
(H2O). In a typical vehicle at 60 miles per hour getting 30 mile per gallon the
engine is burning up gasoline at the rate of two gallons per hour. Gasoline
weighs about 3 kilograms per gallon so that typical vehicle is burning up 6
kilograms of gasoline per hour. If Octane is the typical molecule of gasoline
then each 114 grams of octane (molecular weight of octane is 114 grams) produces
162 grams of water (9 times the molecular weight of water, 18 grams). So every
hour the typical vehicle produces 8.5 kilograms of water. That equates to 18.75
pounds or 2.3 gallons of water. The exhaust also contains 18.5 kilograms or
40.7 pounds of Carbon Dioxide, every hour of driving, but that is not the focus
here. Let’s focus on the 2.3 gallons of water contained in the exhaust of a
typical vehicle.
Now if we could somehow decrease the amount of fuel used by 20%, which is no
great feat for Hydrogen-Boost, we could eliminate 0.46 gallons or 3.7 pounds or
59 ounces of water every hour from the exhaust. Now if the Hydrogen-Boost
system is producing gas at its maximum rate it would inject into the intake 120
liters of gas per hour. When this gas is combusted the water produced weighs
64.3 grams or 2.3 ounces. So if Hydrogen-Boost is saving 20% on the fuel bill
it is eliminating 59 ounces of water by injecting 2.3 ounces of water in the
form of gas. That is a net reduction of 56.7 ounces of water every hour.
So for those of you that are concerned that the hydrogen gas injected by
Hydrogen-Boost will cause all kinds of water in your exhaust, relax. The
Hydrogen-Boost system will reduce the amount of water in your exhaust about 25
times as much as it injects. And that is using a very conservative fuel savings
figure of only 20%.
Even if Hydrogen-Boost did add water vapor into the exhaust and didn’t give
you any savings at all, it would only be an increase of 0.7% of what is already
being produced in the engine by the combustion of the gasoline.
A. Exhaust Gas Temperature, Lean Mixtures, and Burning Valves
Will operating my vehicle at a leaner mixture with Hydrogen-Boost, cause damage to my valves?
With Hydrogen-Boost seeking to run on the leanest air/fuel mixture that has acceptable torque and power, in pursuit of the best possible gas mileage, we have had repeated questions from misinformed customers concerning whether they would burn their valves by running the extra lean mixture.
I am sure the misinformation comes from the aviation field. Being an aviator until last year's near fatal experimental aircraft accident, I know that piston engine aircraft take off and climb at maximum power, and cruise at a leaner mixture, watching the EGT gauge to insure a safe temperature. Of course we all assume that safe temperature means a temperature that doesn't burn the valves.
This information gets us to assume that an electronic fuel injected engine runs at the rich mixture that is cool enough to protect the valves from burning. Most also assume that if we lean out the mixture we will be in danger of burning the valves. A too hot exhaust gas temperature also would indicate a too hot combustion temperature that happens to produce NOx, the oxides of nitrogen that are considered as toxic pollution.
What most of us don't know is that during warm up and acceleration the EFI (electronic fuel injection) engine does indeed run with a rich mixture, but during cruise the engine control unit (ECU) runs in what is called closed loop operation, which targets a 14.7 to 1 air fuel ratio. This ratio is called stoichiometric, meaning that there is a perfect mixture of air and fuel to insure complete combustion. This also happens to be the perfect mixture to get the highest temperature of combustion, and therefore the highest exhaust gas temperature (EGT). Any leaner (more air) mixture will cause a cooler combustion, and any richer (more fuel) mixture will also cause a cooler combustion.
The following quote was obtained from http://www.sdsefi.com/techegt.htm and is chemically accurate:
Some gauge manufacturers say you should tune to achieve maximum or peak EGT for maximum performance. This is incorrect. Peak EGT generally occurs at an AFR of around 14.7- 15.0 to 1 on gasoline. This is far too lean for maximum power and is dangerous under continuous WOT conditions. Many people think that the leaner you go, the higher the EGT gets. This is also incorrect. Peak EGT occurs at stoichiometry- about 15 to 1 for our purposes. If you go richer than 15 to 1, EGT will drop and if you go leaner than 15 to 1 EGT will ALSO drop. It is VERY important to know which side of peak EGT you are on before making adjustments. It is safe to say that peak power will occur at an EGT somewhat colder than peak EGT.
As you can probably figure out by now, leaning the mixture from the target 14.7 to 1 will NOT cause a hotter exhaust nor will it cause you to burn your valves. This is not to say that leaning the ECU's program under all conditions will cause a cooler exhaust. There is one condition that could be hotter and that would be running at WOT (wide open throttle) at 14.7 to 1 instead of the programmed 13 to 1. A continuous running at this condition might indeed burn your valves.
But how often would a mileage conscientious driver equipped with Hydrogen-Boost want to run at WOT for extended periods of time at 14.7 to 1 mixture? First of all a conscientious driver would be following the driving tips in the manual which discourages WOT driving all together, say nothing about an extended WOT operation. Also if a Hydrogen-Boost system is adjusted properly, it will be running at a much higher (leaner) mixture than 14.7 to 1, even at full throttle.
Being a research scientist, I don't like to take anyone's word for anything so I have ordered two EGT gauges, both of which can read the temperatures of two sensors. I will verify all that has been written in this newsletter and will report the results in a later issue.
So to answer the original question: Will operating my vehicle at a leaner mixture with Hydrogen-Boost, cause damage to my valves? NO.
Verification:
On June 11th I finally installed one of my EGT gauges. The probe had a rather short lead so I ended up running with the EGT gauge on top of my hood, rubber banded to the windshield wiper. I had to drill and tap a hole for the threaded probe, which worked out fine. It was a little tight for space inside the engine compartment so I used a right angle portable drill and a socket and ratchet on the tap.
Once the probe was warmed up I cruised at a constant speed and throttle setting and dialed in a leaner fuel mixture while watching the gauge. What is claimed above regarding EGT and fuel ratio was indeed verified. At cruise the EGT was about 10 degrees cooler at 13:1 air/fuel ratio than it was at 14.7:1. At 17:1 it was also 10 degrees cooler. At 19:1 it was 20 degrees cooler, and at 21:1 it was 30 degrees cooler. The temperature really had more to do with the throttle setting than anything else. At high throttle settings the EGT was in the 900s, at high cruise in the 800s, at medium cruise in the 700s, at low cruise in the 600s, and at idle in the 500s. With this large range of temperatures the small change due to fuel ratio was insignificant.
One thing that is notable is the fact that any set power output typically produced the same or similar temperatures, regardless of the fuel ratio. Even though the higher fuel ratio caused a lower temperature at a set throttle position, to keep the same power it took a slightly more open throttle, which caused the temperature to rise back to the same reading as the lower ratio and throttle setting that produced the same power. Of course this was not quite true with those full throttle, rich ratio conditions when the EGT is hot but not as hot as it would be at 14.7:1 fuel ratio.
The throttle setting determined more than just the EGT, it determined the amount of temperature drop that was caused by the increasing fuel ratio. At idle there was only a 5-10 degree drop, but at higher throttle settings there was more than a 40 degrees of drop.
What does all this mean in relation to the question that started this discussion? Will operating my vehicle at a leaner mixture with Hydrogen-Boost, cause damage to my valves? To answer that question we would determine the condition that causes the highest EGT. This would be at full throttle and 14.7:1 fuel ratio. Neither a stock vehicle nor a Hydrogen-Boost system equipped vehicle would run at this condition. The stock vehicle would run at 12 or 13 to 1, and a Hydrogen-Boost equipped vehicle would run at the same 12 or 13 to 1, for those using the old electronic control circuit, or 18 or 20 to 1, for those with the new electronic control circuit. Of course any Hydrogen-Boost equipped vehicle would not likely be seen at full throttle for extended periods of time. So to conclude, the EGT that causes valves to burn would never be encountered with a Hydrogen-Boost equipped vehicle.
A. Warrantee issues with Hydrogen Boost
Many have asked whether Hydrogen Boost will void their warranty. The short answer is NO. The long answer is an explanation of what a warranty is. It is obvious that you are asking the wrong question. The proper question is, “If I have Hydrogen Boost installed on my vehicle can my manufacturer refuse to pay for fixing my car?” The answer is the same as for anything added to your vehicle. For example if you change your tires to a different brand than what the vehicle came with, can the manufacturer refuse to pay for fire damage under my hood. Well, that would depend on whether the tires caused the fire. If the tire blew out and caused you to run off the road and crash into a tree, leaking gasoline and catching fire, yes the manufacture could say, “No, we are not responsible for that fire damage so we won’t pay. So if something about the Hydrogen Boost system, like improper installation, causes damage to your engine, don’t expect the manufacturer to pay for the damage done. The main thing that could cause damage is dumping a water solution of strong chemicals into your engine. That can not happen with a properly installed Hydrogen Boost system but if you ignore the installation instructions because you are a great experimenter who “knows what he’s doing” then you could cause damage. There is nothing about the Hydrogen Boost system that can cause damage by itself. Only improper installation or use can possibly cause damage that the manufacturer should not pay for because of his warranty. If you can read and follow instructions, you won’t cause any damage and the manufacturer is bound to repair your vehicle of any damage not caused by you.
A.
Hydrogen-Boost with Diesel Engines
Many have asked if Hydrogen-Boost will work on diesel powered vehicles.
The answer is yes. All of the components of the
Hydrogen-Boost System will help increase the mileage of diesel powered vehicles.
In addition to increase in efficiency, hydrogen has already been proven
in tests to help reduce the harmful exhaust emissions.
In spring of 2007 we had our hydrogen generator subjected to
dynamometer tests on a John Deer diesel engine by
Following the
There are now close to a dozen companies in
In January 2006
in
Diesel update: To our surprise we have had excellent reports from our first diesel small vehicle system customers. One purchased a gasoline system and decided to install the hydrogen generator onto his diesel pickup and achieved a 20% increase in mileage, then purchased a complete diesel system and installed the hydrogen generator on his wife’s car who was so impressed with the Hydrogen Boost results on the diesel pickup, she wanted one for her car. Another diesel system customer pulls a huge fifth wheel camper followed by a large boat, total length 60 feet. He has a regular route to camp of 211 miles which normally took 25 gallons of diesel fuel. Since installing the hydrogen Boost diesel system he has done the trip with a heavier load and faster driving with only 20 gallons of fuel. This is a 25% increase in mileage. This customer has also been the first to test the expanded hydrogen gas production capability of the larger diesel hydrogen generator, running the unit at 37.5 amps with a forty amp fuse.
A. We have consistently achieved 50% increase in highway mileage and over 100% increase in city mileage when we applied all the components of the system including driving tips. For those who refuse to change their driving habits we can only say that in controlled cruising road tests we have consistently achieved 15-25% increases, and on the dynamometer we have achieved 18-31% increases.
A. For two reasons. First you’d likely never see it. Have you seen where you are going to install the hydrogen generator? In most engine compartment there are very few places to squeeze in the hydrogen generator, and when you get it down into the spot where you can fit it, there is little chance you’ll be able to read a sight gauge on the side of it. Secondly, a sight gauge is just another thing that will break while you’re cramming the hydrogen generator down into that tight spot, and it is just a place that will leak out your electrolyte. You already know when you need water, whenever you are under the hood checking your oil, you need to top off your water level. This only needs to be done every two tanks full of fuel but its better to just do it every time you fill your tank.
A. You need to refrain from using water with minerals in it. Distilled water is best and it’s all around us. You don’t need to go to the store and buy it by the gallon, you can get it for free. It falls out of the sky, you can catch it off your roof, it drips off your air conditioner, it drips of a dehumidifier. In my town we have de-mineralized water in our pipes from the town. That’s what I use. Just don’t use water with minerals in it because the minerals will stay in the hydrogen generator and become mud or mineral deposits. Then you would have to clean out the hydrogen generator more often than the once a year I recommend.
Recently we have been testing the use of household strength Ammonia. This ammonia is a solution made with demineralized or distilled water and ammonia, both of which electrolyze to produce hydrogen. Ammonia actually takes less electrical power. Initial tests have been encouraging and I see no reason yet to use household strength ammonia, which is quite inexpensive.
A. The typical alternative is under the front fender, in front of the mud-guard. See a picture of an installation under the fender of the Saturn SL1 here and see a video of the filling procedure here.
A. The short answer is NO. The long answer requires understanding of hydrogen embrittlement. Hydrogen embrittlement occurs when hydrogen is produce in an ionic or atomic state and penetrates the metal before it is joined with another atom of hydrogen to form a diatomic molecule of hydrogen, which takes up more space than the individual hydrogen atoms or ions. This forming of the hydrogen molecule causes stress on the lattice of the metal because it is trying to crowd out the metal atoms. When enough hydrogen molecules (two atoms each) have formed within the lattice structure of the metal they cause the metal’s lattice structure to over-stress and rupture. Hydrogen produced in electrolysis is already mostly diatomic molecules of stable hydrogen (two atoms together) so there is no stress on the metal that it is exposed to thereafter. Brown’s gas (common ducted electrolyzer gases) may contain some small portion of monatomic hydrogen (ionic or atomic) but before it has a chance to embed itself in any metal lattice structure, it is combusted in the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine to which the Hydrogen Boost system is installed. Normally hydrogen embrittlement is experience in highly charged plasma generation of hydrogen associated with underwater arc welding. Our electrolysis does not have a plasma environment and therefore is not even a threat to our metal container, much less an automobile engine.
A. Ease of installation depends on access to the following: heater hose, fuel line coming to the injector rail, MAF and MAP sensors, fuel pump relay, and oxygen sensors. Even an experienced installer will spend more time finding these items than is typically taken for installation of the equipment. Once a particular model has had a system installed, it is a breeze to do the same model again. That does not mean that an experienced mechanic not familiar with the system will take less time than an experienced installer or even a person who typically doesn’t work on his vehicle. I would say that anyone who can read, look at pictures in a repair manual, and has had experience with simple tasks like changing the spark plugs, and maybe an alternator of starter, can easily install the hydrogen boost system. If you do hire a professional mechanic, don’t hire him by the hour, hire him by the job. Working by the hour always seems to take more time.
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Page created by Bill
Levine and posted by Sterling
D. Allan Aug. 17, 2007
Last updated September 07, 2007
